[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 43 (Monday, April 14, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S3132]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   JOHN PIDGEON'S 40TH ANNIVERSARY AS HEADMASTER OF THE KISKI SCHOOL

 Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, I have sought recognition to 
acknowledge John ``Jack'' Pidgeon's 40th anniversary as headmaster of 
the Kiski School in Saltsburg, PA. John is well known to many 
Pennsylvanians for his excellent career in education and also is the 
proud husband of Pennsylvania's State treasurer, Barbara Hafer.
  Forty years ago, John Pidgeon left a position at the Deerfield 
Academy to assume the position of headmaster of the Kiski School. In 
1957, he became the youngest headmaster in the United States. Today, he 
is the longest serving headmaster in the country. In this capacity, he 
has worked to stabilize the school's finances, develop the campus, and 
build upon its outstanding academic reputation.
  When John first arrived at the Kiski School, the institution's 
infrastructure was suffering and its deficit was rising. Under his 
direction, the school raised funds for a campus face lift, built a 
strong financial foundation, and stabilized enrollment. Throughout his 
career, he has emphasized the value of courtesy, ethics, discipline, 
high moral standards, and quality of education. By establishing a 
philosophy that combined these values in the school's education 
program, he has prepared Kiski boys to meet the challenges and 
opportunities they will face in the future.
  I ask that the text of an article in the September, 1996 Kiski 
Bulletin be printed in the Record.
  The article follows:

                   Kiski--The School that Jack Built

       Forty years ago, John ``Jack'' Pidgeon left a secure job at 
     Deerfield Academy to become the Headmaster of The Kiski 
     School. As the new headmaster, he not only ran the School, 
     taught classes, and coached sports, but also initiated a 
     major face-lift of the deteriorating campus. Along with no 
     entrance road and few athletic fields, the school had no 
     desks or chairs in some dormitory rooms, lacked water for 
     days at a time, and suffered a $200,000 deficit. The students 
     willingly pitched in to paint and clean up the school 
     grounds.
       Before 1957, Kiski never received a donation larger than 
     $10,000. Today, the 350 acre campus is the envy of both 
     independent schools and liberal arts colleges. Under the 
     direction of the Headmaster, the School has completed over a 
     dozen substantial fund-raising campaigns and added:
       Daub Hall, 1961.
       The Field House, 1962.
       Heath Clark Classroom Building, 1967.
       The Indoor Swimming Pool, 1967.
       McClintock Hall, 1968.
       Vlahos Hall, 1968.
       The Dining Hall and Infirmary, 1976.
       Sheesley Hall, 1978.
       The S.W. Jack Sports Center, 1983.
       The Stephen C. Rogers Fine Arts Center, 1984.
       Schoenbaum Center, 1985.
       The John A. Pidgeon Library, 1993.
       Six faculty homes.
       A new dormitory in planning for 1997.
       Today, campus buildings are worth over $5 million, and the 
     School has an endowment of $20 million.
       The campus enrollment is 250 boys, 225 boarders and 25 area 
     day students. Over the past decade, ``Jack's Boys'' have come 
     from six continents, 30 countries and 28 states of the U.S.
       Jack Pidgeon came to Kiski as the youngest headmaster in 
     the United States. Today his forty years of service make him 
     the longest serving headmaster in the country. In addition to 
     building a school with a superb physical plant, a sound 
     financial basis, and a stable enrollment, Jack Pidgeon prides 
     himself on placing high value on courtesy, ethics, 
     discipline, morals, and a quality educational program. 
     ``Kiski Boys'' are prepared to meet the challenges and 
     opportunities they will face in the real world.
       The man who played in the same backfield with actor Jack 
     Lemmon and the same field with President George Bush at 
     Phillips Andover Academy left a secure job teaching Latin at 
     Deerfield Academy and took the leap of faith in coming to 
     Kiski. He has, in his dynamic years as headmaster, built a 
     school that has had a positive effect on the lives of 
     thousands of young men. Every year, these young men receive a 
     personally signed birthday card from the man who cared enough 
     about their future that he risked his own on their 
     behalf.

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